Filter Content
It’s hard to believe that we have already finished the first half of the 2024 school year. Despite significant illness across the school community, we have managed to fit in a huge amount of learning and fun from Kindergarten to Year 6. Our commitment to Literacy and Numeracy has remained the focus and school data shows significant improvement. Parents ought to be very proud of their children and the effort they have put into their learning all term.
Pyjama Day
Yesterday's Pyjama Day was a great way to celebrate the end of Term 2. Everyone was toasty warm and looked fabulous in their Pyjamas. Thank you to our families for donating canned food for the Vinnies Winter Appeal. It makes such days extra special when we can help others less fortunate than ourselves.
Carroll College Variety Night
Earlier this week, our amazing School Choir of 64 students from Years 1 to 6 shared their talents at the Carroll College Variety Night. The students sang two lively songs from our upcoming musical Mary Poppins. Thank you to parents for bringing your children out on such a cold night. A very special thank you to Mrs Jessie White and Mrs Fran Devonald for their work with this huge group of children. What a great performance!
Term 3
Term 3 is undoubtedly going to be very busy at St Mary’s. NAIDOC Week, Book Week, Southern Region and Archdiocesan Athletics, Fathers Day and the Sacrament of First Eucharist, will require a lot of extra work from the staff and cooperation of the students. These days are always very special for the St Mary’s community.
A reminder that students return to school on Tuesday July 23. On Monday July 22, staff will be participating in Professional Learning on CATALYST and High Impact Teaching Practices.Today's Professional Learning was on the new NSW Mathematics curriculum and planning for next term.
I hope your children have a happy and restful break from school. They seem quite tired. Hopefully by the time school re-opens, the amount of illness in the community will have subsided and the weather will have warmed a little.
God’s blessings on you and your families.
Mrs Noeleen O'neill
Principal
NAIDOC Week 2024
The national celebration of NAIDOC Week takes place during the school holidays from Sunday 7 July through to Sunday 14 July, 2024. The acronym NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. NAIDOC week celebrates Aboriginal people’s history, culture and achievements and is a great opportunity to learn about their rich culture. It is a time of celebration and connection between all peoples.
‘Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud’ - is the National NAIDOC Theme for 2024. This year's NAIDOC Week theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture - with fire a symbol of connection- to Country, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
At St Mary’s we are passionate about developing all staff and students’ understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, languages and knowledge systems. We are incredibly proud of our connection to the first custodians of the land on which we live and work, the Walbunja and Brinja Yuin people. We are committed to developing and maintaining genuine, collaborative and respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, families, local community members, service providers and agencies.
Our school NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held at the start of Term 3, beginning with the NAIDOC Regional Mass.
NAIDOC Regional Mass and Awards 2024
On Friday 26 July (Week 1) St Bernard’s will be hosting the South Coast Schools Regional NAIDOC Mass which will be celebrated at St Bernard’s Church, Batehaven. We will be joined by other students from schools across our Southern Region including St Bernards, Batemans Bay, Carroll College, Broulee, St Patrick’s, Bega, Lumen Christi, Pambula and St Patrick’s Cooma.
All our Aboriginal students at St Mary’s from Kindergarten to Year 6 and our Year 6 students will be attending this special Mass. We warmly invite the parents, carers and families of these children to join us.
The theme of our Mass is ‘Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud’ and the Mass will begin at 11:00am. Patricia Ellis, Brinja Yuin Elder, Order of Australia 2023 will offer a Welcome to Country. Following Mass there will be a presentation of NAIDOC Awards for nominated adults and students from our regional schools. St Bernard’s Primary School will then host a BBQ Sausage Sizzle for attendees.
What's On in the Eurobodalla...
NAIDOC Week flag raising ceremony - Moruya
Wednesday 10 July 2024 (this event takes place during the school holidays)
10am - 12pm
Where: Council Chambers forecourt, 89 Vulcan Street
Celebrate NAIDOC Week at the annual flag raising ceremony. Experience the traditional welcome and smoking ceremony before being invited to join in song and dance. Everyone is welcome.
In line with this year's theme of 'Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, loud, and proud', a sacred fire will be lit signifying the continuation of local ancient culture and the responsibility we all hold to keep the fire burning.
The lighting of the fire will be repeated at locations across Eurobodalla during NAIDOC Week.
MOGODHA NAIDOC BIG DAY OUT
Saturday 13 July 2024
10am-4pm
Where: Mogo Sportsground,Buckenbowra Rd
Mogo Big Day Out will host activities, carnival rides, cultural workshops and stalls.
Mrs Sue Heffernan
Assistant Principal
Dear Families,
It’s hard to believe we are at the end of yet another term and already halfway through the year. It has been a busy one and we have been fortunate to have shared many important school events and celebrations together.
Year 6 Sacrament of Confirmation
Last Sunday, 17 students from Year 6 received the sacrament of Confirmation. We celebrated with a lovely Mass which was presided over by Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Fr George Azhakath and Deacon Paul Rummery. I would like to once again thank Mr Harpley and Ms Lock for their support of these students as they prepared them for this special sacrament. Thank you to our wonderful parish community for their help in preparing the church and morning tea and to the choir for the beautiful music. Our warmest congratulations to these newly confirmed students; may you take special memories with you of this day.
St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal
Yesterday we held a Pyjama Day for the final day of term to collect donations of canned goods and non-perishable food items for the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. These items have been collected in classrooms and we will give these to the volunteers at St Vincent de Paul to be shared among the homeless and vulnerable during these cold winter months. It was shocking to read the number of homeless people in Australia is currently in excess of 122,000 and of those, around 28,000 are under the age of 18. It is always wonderful to see the desire in students to want to do what they can to help those less fortunate than themselves. If you have any spare or unused blankets at home, we will also be collecting and donating those to the blanket drive. These can be sent to school any time before the end of August. We thank you for your generosity.
First Eucharist
Next term, students in Year 4 who have been baptised will have the opportunity to receive the sacrament of First Eucharist. Please see below for some important dates for this sacrament. Further information will become available early next term. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Save the Date:
Tuesday July 30th - First Eucharist Enrolment Meeting
Saturday 17th August - First Eucharist Commitment Mass, Sacred Heart Church
Wednesday 28th August - First Eucharist Faith Formation Retreat Day, Carroll College
Sunday 15th September - Celebration of First Eucharist Mass, Sacred Heart Church
Wishing you a safe and happy school holiday period with your families. I hope you have a wonderful and restful break, whatever you may be doing.
God of Great Love,
We are so precious to You,
treasured by You.
As we listen to Your Word,
help us to see the true beauty and value in one another,
as we work to build Your kingdom on earth
as it is in heaven.We make this prayer in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Grace and blessings on your path.
Mrs Jessica Afflick
Religious Education Coordinator
This award is an acknowledgment that students have been
outstanding and have gone above and beyond in the
classroom and on the playground!
|
Kinder B |
For being an amazing leader during our sports rotations - demonstrating correct movements to others. |
|
1 Blue |
For consistently demonstrating kindness, empathy and warmth to all students in our class, treating everyone with respect! |
|
2 Blue |
For working hard to achieve success in our CMC Maths sessions and striving to improve her recall of 3x and 4x tables. |
|
3 Blue |
Her efforts and engagement during CMC lessons, especially with number families. Well done Charlotte! |
|
3 Blue |
For her helpful nature in the classroom and being always ready to lend a hand. |
|
3/4 Maroon Charlie M |
For his active engagement during Science lessons when describing the different states of matter. |
| 4Blue Beau M |
For his enthusiasm and focus when investigating centuries using quick multiplicative thinking! |
|
5 Blue |
For making a concerted effort to connect with his schoolwork from home through the Google platform. |
|
5/6 Blue |
For being so focussed with your learning during Term 2. I am so proud of all of you. Well done! |
|
6 Blue |
For consistently striving to do his best during CMC Maths. |
|
6 Blue |
For consistently striving to do his best during CMC Maths. |
|
6 Blue |
For consistently striving to do his best during CMC Maths. |
|
Kinder B |
Her kind and thoughtful prayers for the class and the wider world. |
|
1Blue |
Demonstrating her extensive understanding of sentence structure, composing compound sentences with known conjunctions. Well Done! |
|
2 Blue |
Working like a champion in Spelling Mastery to decode words and use the correct letters in spelling. Well done! |
|
3 Blue |
His careful approach to his ‘Starry Night’ artwork. Great work Ryan! |
|
3/4 Maroon |
For her insightful responses during our English Poetry Unit, in particular the poem Mulga Bill’s Bicycle. |
|
4 Blue |
For his excellent focus and determination to ensure his work is to a high standard and reflects his ability. |
|
5 Blue |
For working particularly hard to finish his speech before the end of term. |
|
5/6 Maroon |
Making a positive start at St Mary’s. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome Lucy! |
|
6Blue |
For consistently striving to do his best during CMC Maths. |
|
6 Blue |
For consistently striving to do his best during CMC Maths. |
Religion
This term, students in Year 5 Blue have been exploring beliefs across different cultures and religions and understanding the significance of belief systems in shaping individuals and communities.
We learnt about the importance of the Eucharist in Christian worship, its symbolism, and the rituals associated with it. Students explored why Catholics gather to worship, the structure of the Mass, and the spiritual significance of each part. We looked at how Mass brings the community together and strengthens their faith through prayer, scripture, and communion.
Year 5 completed an in depth focus study on the life and legacy of Mary MacKillop to inspire the students with the story of a woman dedicated to education and social justice. We learnt about her devotion to serving the poor and uneducated and how her faith guided her actions.
Maths
This term, Year 5 Blue has been engaged in a dynamic, fast-paced approach to Maths through the Connecting Maths Concepts program. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn at their own level and make great, measured progress.
During the week we supplement the busy CMC program with outstanding OCHRE Education units which focus on mastering essential mathematical skills. This term we looked at plotting points on a Cartesian plane, understanding two-digit multiplication strategies, adding and subtracting like and unlike fractions as well as division where we represent the remainder as a fraction and/or terminating decimal.
English
In Year 5, English has been filled with engaging literary journeys through our class novels, "Black Cockatoo" and "Catch a Falling Star". We've explored rich themes and characters, discussing their motivations and growth throughout the stories. In writing lessons, we've sharpened our skills in identifying similes and metaphors, uncovering the layers of meaning they add to texts. Understanding the difference between subjects and predicates has strengthened our knowledge of sentence structure, helping us to create more dynamic and precise sentences in our narrative and persuasive writing as well as our historical letters.
Science
Term Two in Year 5 Blue Science has been focused on exploring chemistry. The students have been very excited by their recent project of growing crystals using everyday substances like sugar, salt, epsom salts, and copper sulphate. It's been great to see their curiosity and understanding grow as they observed the different substances on a daily basis. Although they had limited success growing the crystals, it allowed them to see up close how some chemicals react and transform in liquid and heat. Overall, it's been a rewarding term filled with discovery and scientific exploration for these budding young scientists.
History
In Term Two, Year 5 Blue delved into the rich tapestry of Colonial Australia, exploring pivotal events that shaped the nation. From the Gold Rush fever and conflicts that defined the era to the impact of transportation and the advent of the Overland Telegraph, students gained insights into Australia's transformative history. They also examined the ecological repercussions of introduced species on the landscape and recognized the vital role migrants played in the formation of key industries during the 1800s.
Art
We have been working on some Keith Haring inspired Olympic pictograms. The students created these based on an olympic sport of their choice. They created a freeze frame pose of an athlete competing in a sport and we used sketching and collage techniques to put these together. We were so happy with the finished product.
This term we have spent time learning the Ukulele. This is a super fun and (relatively) easy instrument to learn and we feel like we had some success in developing interesting strumming patterns and learning to read notes on the music scale. We learnt the first two bars to the most famous Ukulele song of all - Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
PDH/PE
Term two is always a huge term on the sporting calendar with Cross Country and Athletics. For the second half of the term Mr Paul Hill has been doing an amazing job in coaching our young athletes in the best form and technique to compete in our favourite field events including long jump, high jump, discus and shotput. Some amazing PB’s were achieved on the back of Mr Hill’s coaching and great fun was had by everyone.
Sport
This term we were extremely lucky to have Cheryl visit St Mary’s and conduct some fantastic hockey training clinics for all of Stage 3. Year 5 Blue learned and improved some wonderful skills, played with great sportsmanship and had a wonderful time. Thanks Cheryl.
Mr James Campbell
Year 5 Blue Teacher
Athletics Carnival
It was a beautiful day for our St Mary’s Athletics Carnival last Friday. All of the students had a brilliant day of participation in the various events throughout the day including 800m, 100m track events, discus and shotput field events. It was wonderful to see our senior students join in all the running events, being great role models for our younger students. A highlight for our students and parents alike was cheering on our littlest students in K-2 who all had to run a very long 100m for their races before enjoying novelty events. Take a look at all the photos on the St Mary’s Facebook page to see the big smiles and fun that was had at the carnival. A big thank you to the incredible staff who committed to the early morning start to set up and to Tim Weyman for preparing the track for the carnival. A special thank you to the Sports Coaching students: Will G, Tyler C, Kehlei C, Charlotte B, Jack H from Carroll College who were able to assist on the day also.
Mr Hill has worked very hard to prepare the students for the carnival also which the students have thoroughly enjoyed and will complete the long jump and high jump finals in week 1 next term. The Southern Region carnival will be held in Week 3, Thursday 8 August and Bega Athletics Grounds. All students who will be competing will be notified via COMPASS by the end of Week 1 and will require consent to attend.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday break with your families.
Mary Poppins: Assistance with class dance items
Please place the following dates into your calendars as Mary Poppins is flying into St Mary’s on 5th and 6th of November.
Mary Poppins is a whole school production, which means that all students, Kindergarten to Year 6 will be involved. Each class will have a dance item that they will rehearse during class time in Term 3. Our school musical is always a wonderful community event and this year we are asking for as many parent volunteers to assist us to bring our magical dream to life!
We are asking for parents who would like to assist with the dance component of the class items. Each class will be allocated a song and we are requesting that parent helpers join us during school hours to assist with simple dance choreography. This will take place during Term 3 and will require visiting the school once a week. If you are a dance teacher or someone who loves to move and groove we are seeking your assistance. You will work in collaboration with a class teacher and the production team. If you are interested please contact Mrs White. jessica.white@cg.catholic.edu.au
Please keep your eyes on the Newsletter and Compass, as we will soon be requesting parents to assist with backdrop painting, set and prop design.
Many thanks in advance.
The Production Team
